Partnership with AmeriCorps helps Mesa United Way meet pressing needs while providing opportunities for individuals to serve our community

If you'd like to help improve our community while learning new job skills and earning a stipend, you've come to the right place. Mesa United Way has teamed up with AmeriCorps, the federal program that encourages national and community service while providing valuable job training.

The benefits for participants and the community are enormous. Since Congress created the Corporation for National and Community Service in 1993, tens of thousands of individuals have been mobilized at every level - national, state and community - to help meet pressing needs, from cleaning up parks and neighborhoods to helping individuals get access to health care.

Mesa United Way and other Arizona organizations that utilize AmeriCorps participants work with Gov. Jan Brewer’s Office of Children, Youth and Families and the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism to ensure that targeted needs are addressed.

The service priorities are:

• Education – Unmet educational needs within communities, especially those that help children and youth achieve success in school and prevent them from dropping out before high school graduation.

• Healthy Futures – Unmet health needs within communities including access to health care, disease prevention and health promotion initiatives and health literacy.

• Clean Energy/Environment – Unmet energy-efficiency and environmental needs within communities.

• Veterans – Unmet needs of veterans, members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty, and family members of deployed military personnel and engages veterans in service.

• Opportunity – Unmet needs relating to economic opportunity for economically disadvantaged individuals within communities including financial literacy, housing assistance, job training, and nutritional assistance.

The national corporation, governor’s commission and partner organizations like Mesa United Way ensure that applicants are placed in positions that match their education and experience and that they receive training necessary to ensure success. AmeriCorps participants make a commitment of time to their assigned tasks, and progress toward measurable goals is closely monitored. Positions range from part-time to full-time and length of service commitments varies.

Besides the satisfaction of helping others and improving their community, AmeriCorps participants receive a stipend to cover basic living expenses, as well as an educational benefit when their term of service is complete.

If this kind of community service and job training opportunity appeals to you, call Mesa United Way at 480-969-8601.